Smoking and cooking apparatus

ABSTRACT

A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surface including a closed heat reflective member, support members connected to and downwardly extending from the closed heat reflective member for supporting the member above a cooking surface. The closed heat reflective member in combination with the support members serve to reflect heat onto food cooking upon the cooking surface and to collect smoke above the cooking surface in order to flavor the food. Passages are fashioned laterally through the supporting members to permit circulation within the smoking and cooking apparatus while simultaneously providing a desirable retention of smoke adjacent to the food during the cooking and smoking thereof. The closed heat reflective member and support members may be operatively engageable with a griddle which comprises a generally square heat conductive plate. The plate is fashioned with upwardly extending flange means peripherally extending thereabout for engagement with the support members. During a cooking operation the downwardly extending support members serve to maintain the closed heat reflective member generally above and in a parallel plane with respect to the heat conductive plate to facilitate the cooking and smoking of food upon the plate. After the cooking operation the closed heat reflective and support members may be disconnected from the griddle and inverted to serve as a grease collecting means, attarctive table server and the like. The closed heat reflective and support members in combination with the griddle may be advantageously utilized in combination with a barbecuing grill which is suitable to support a charcoal fire or the like. In this instance the griddle is provided with a plurality of apertures extending through the heat conductive plate to faciliate smoking the food during the cooking operation.

United States Patent [191 Plumley et a1,

[ 1 Jan. 22, 1974 SMOKING AND COOKING APPARATUS [76] Inventors:Elizabeth Emmett Plumley, 44

Willway Ave.; David A. Brown, 46 Willway Ave., both of Richmond, Va.23226 [22] Filed: Aug. 4, 11972 .[2l] Appl. No.: 278,127

[52] U.S. Cl 99/447, 99/450, 99/467 [51] Int. Cl. A47j 37/07, A23b 1/04[58] Field of Search 99/447, 394, 422, 425, 444,

Plumley 99/450 X Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman AssistantExaminer-Arthur 0. Henderson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Burns, Doane,Swecker & Mathis [57] ABSTRACT A smoking and cooking apparatus operableto overlay a cooking surface including a closed heat reflective member,support members connected to and downwardly extending from the closedheat reflective member for supporting the member above a cookingsurface. The closed heat reflective member in combination with thesupport members serve to reflect heat onto food cooking upon the cookingsurface and to collect smoke above the cooking surface in order toflavor the food. Passages are fashioned laterally through the supportingmembers to permit circulation within the smoking and cooking apparatuswhile simultaneously providing a desirable retention of smoke adjacentto the food during the cooking and smoking thereof. The closed heatreflective member and support members may be operatively engageable witha griddle which comprises a generally square heat conductive plate. Theplate is fashioned with upwardly extending flange means peripherallyextending thereabout for engagement with the support members. During acooking operation the downwardly extending support members serve tomaintain the closed heat reflective member generally above and in aparallel plane with respect to the heat conductive plate to facilitatethe cooking and smoking of food upon the plate. After the cookingoperation the closed heat reflective and support members may bedisconnected from the griddle and inverted to serve as a greasecollecting means, attarctive table server and the like. The closed heatreflective and support members in combination with the griddle may beadvantageously utilized in combination with a barbecuing grill which issuitable to support a charcoal fire or the like. In this instance thegriddle is provided with a plurality of apertures extending through theheat conductive plate to faciliate smoking the food during the cookingoperation.

15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures SMOKING AND COOKING APP TUS BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION smoking and cooking apparatus of the type which may beadvantageously utilized with a barbecuing grill and the like.

In the past it has been common practice to cook food out-of-doors uponan open barbecue grill of the type browned or glazed exterior surface incombination with a somewhat smoky flavor. Although such barbecuinggrills have proven to be highly satisfactory and have receivedconsiderable commercial attention room for improvement remains.

In this connection while the relatively open planar grid permits smoketo reach the food and also allows flames to lick the cooking food such asurface is not readily amenable to handling of the food items. Forexample,hamburgers or the like are often dropped into the charcoal bedwhen an attempt is made to turn or move the food to a cooler or hotterportion of the grill. In the same vein, it is difficult to cook smallitems upon an open grid.

While it is possible to obviate the above disadvantages by theutilization of a conventional frying pan in connection with a grill, theaforementioned highly desirable ocular and gastronomical features ofopen grilling are simultaneously eliminated. Moreover, a frying pantends to collect grease which may impart an undesirable flavor to thefood or in extreme instances may ignite and char the food within thepan. It would therefore be high desirable to provide an apparatus whichwould facilitate handling food to be cooked on an open barbecuing grillwithout simultaneously eliminating the glazing and smoking qualities ofopen air cooking.

It has further been appreciated in the past that a barbecuing operationmay be facilitated by the provision of a generally dome-shaped coverextending completely over the cooking grid. The cover is providedapproximately in the center of the dome with a plurality of apertures topermit smoke to escape from the top of the dome. By the provision ofthis cover the smoking character of the barbecuing grill is accentuated,the cooking time is diminished, and also the surface of the food isdesirably glazed. While such devices, in at least some instances, haveproven to be highly advantageous room for significant improvementremains.

In this connection the covers are adapted for use in combination onlywith a compatibly dimensioned basin. Therefore, the cover is not readilyutilizable with a nonconforming grill. Moreover, the aperture in thecenter of the dome permits the smoke to freely flow upward away from thecooking food without imparting a maximum degree of flavoring to thefood. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide a smoking andcooking apparatus which would provide the advantages of a dome coveredoutdoor grill while simultaneously possessing the capability ofutilization with a conventional open grill while promoting maximumsmoking of the food to be cooked.

It has further been observed that with outdoor grilling oerations therehas grown up a substantial amount of paraphernalia which is generallyunifunctional. It would therefore be highly desirable to provide amultifunctional cooking and smoking apparatus.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a general object of theinvention to obviate or minimize problems and disadvantages of the typepreviously described.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a novel smokingand cooking apparatus which will increase the cooking rate of food upona cooking surface and advantageously smoke the food during the cookingoperation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel smoking andcooking apparatus adapted to overlay a grill to accentuate the cookingand smoking operation thereof and which may be inverted and stablysupported upon a base for utilization as a serving unit.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel smoking andcooking apparatus which may be universally utilized with conventionaloutdoor charcoal grills.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel smoking andcooking apparatus having a handle means wherein heat conduction betweenthe apparatus and the handle is minimized.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel smoking andcooking apparatus including a member to facilitate handling a food upona grill in combination with a means for accentuating smoking and cookingfood supported by the device.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a novel smokingand cooking apparatus which is multifunctional and may be effectivelyutilized to smoke and rapidly cook food upon an open grill anndconsequently may be utilized as an advantageous food handling andserving piece.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide in combinationa novel cooking apparatus including an outdoor charcoal grill and a unitadapted to rest upon the grill for smoking and cooking food in anadvantageous manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY:

flective member, support members connected to and downwardly extendingfrom the closed heat reflective member for supporting the member above acooking surface. The closed heat reflective member in combination withthe support members serve to reflect heat onto food cooking upon thecooking surface and to collect smoke above the cooking surface in orderto flavor the food. Passages are fashioned laterally through thesupporting members to permit circulation within the smoking and cookingapparatus while simultaneously providing a desirable retention of smokeadjacent to the food during the cooking and smoking thereof.

The closed heat reflective member and support members may be operativelyengageable with a griddle which comprises a generally square heatconductive plate. The plate is fashioned with upwardly extending flangemeans peripherally extending thereabout for engagement with the supportmembers. During a cooking operation the downwardly extending supportmembers serve to maintain the closed heat reflective member generallyabove and in a parallel plane with respect to the heat conductive plateto facilitate the cooking and smoking of food upon the plate. After thecooking operation the closed heat reflective and support members may bedisconnected from the griddle and inverted to serve as a greasecollecting means, attractive table server and the like.

The closed heat reflective and support members in combination with thegriddle may be advantageously utilized in combination with a barbecuinggrill which is suitable to support a charcoal fire or the like. In thisinstance the griddle is provided with a plurality of apertures extendingthrough the heat conductive plate to facilitate smoking the food duringthe cooking operation.

THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of an outdoor barbecuing grill, agriddle positioned upon the top of a planar grid of the grill and asmoking and cooking apparatus overlaying the griddle;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cooking and smoking apparatus positionedupon the griddle and particularly discloses the interconnectingrelationship thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along section line 3-3 in FIG. 1 andparticularly illustrates the connecting relationship of a combinedhandle and base with the upper surface of the smoking and cookingapparatus;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial segmental view of one comer of the smoking andcooking apparatus in an inverted posture and particularly illustratesinwardly extending ledges adjacent the edges of support members forabutting connection with an upwardly extending flange of the griddle asillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 5-5 in FIG. 2and particularly discloses the relationship of an inwardly extendingledge of a smoking and cooking apparatus and an upwardly extendingflange of a griddle plate;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along section line 6-6 in FIG.1, and particularly discloses by flow arrows the path which may be takenby smoke within the smoking and cooking apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial illustration of the cooking and smoking apparatusinverted with respect to the griddle into a supporting posture wherebythe smoking and cooking apparatus may serve as a grease collection tray,serving unit and the like;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the griddle supported within the smoking andcooking apparatus as pictorially illustrated in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along section line 99 in FIG. 8 anddiscloses the supporting relationship of the griddle within the invertedsmoking and cooking apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 there willbe seen a conventional outdoor barbecuing grill 10 including a generallydish-shaped basin l2 suitable for supporting charcoal, wood or the likein a conventional manner. The basin 12 is supported by a plurality oflegs 14 above a ground surface,not shown. Positioned above the openmouth of the basin 12 is a wire metal gridwork 16 of a conventional typewhich may be supported upon a central normally extending post (notshown) that is in turn connected for vertical adjustment to a centralportion of the basin 12.

In the past, as previously noted, food to be barbecued would be laiddirectly on the wire grid 16 to be cooked and smoked by the coals withinthe basin. It will be readily apparent that small items will tend tofall between the openings in the gridwork and generally presentdifficulties in handling.

Such difficulties are overcome by the present invention which includes agriddle 20 operable to be positioned upon the upper surface of the grid16 and a smoking and cooking cover operable to overlay the griddle 20functionally in a manner to be discussed in detail hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4 it will be seen that the smoking and cookingcover 22 includes a closed heat reflective member 24 comprising agenerally planar plate. As particularly seen in FIG. 2, the plate 24 isgenerally dimensionally coextensive with the underlaying griddleconfiguration and in the illustrated instance is equilateral.

The plate 24 has connected to the edges thereof downwardly extendingside walls 26. The side walls 26 are slopingly joined to the edges ofthe planar member 24. The junction of adjacent side walls 26 are alsorounded to be compatible with the corners of griddle 20, noteparticularly FIGS. 2 and 4.

The side walls 26 are each provided across approximately the midspan ofthe lower edge thereof with a recessed portion 28. The midspan recesses28 stop short of the corners thus leaving at each of the corners of thecover 22 an extended portion 30 which is generally rounded for pleasingappearance and compatible engagement with the corners of a griddle 20.

Adjacent the outermost edges 32 of the curved corner portions 30 areinwardly displaced ledges 34, note FIG. 5. The ledges are suitablydimensioned to engage with an upper edge of a corner flange portion ofthe griddle 20.

The griddle 20, note FIG. 7, includes a generally planar heat conductivecooking plate 40, having an upper surface for supporting food and alower surface for resting upon the grid 16 of the grill 10. A pluralityof apertures 42 are formed through the plate 40 to permit cooking greaseto fall into the tire and thus produce smoke which will pass upwardlythrough the cooking plate for entrapment beneath the cooking and smokingcover 22. The plate 40 is provided with an upwardly extending peripheralflange 44 which is suitable to be engaged at the corner portions thereofby the ledges, 34, note FIG. 5.

The flange 44 is fashioned along one edge with an extension 46 suitableto serve as a mount for a handle 48 so that the griddle 20 may be easilymanipulated. Further, the extension 46 serves to at least partiallyblock smoke flow toward the griddle handle.

In operation, as best illustrated in FIG. 6, the griddle 20 ispositioned upon an open grid 16 of a conventional charcoal grill. Thefood (not shown) is placed upon the upper surface of the griddle and thecooking and smoking cover 22 is positioned over the griddle, supportedat the corner-locationsthereof as particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1and 5.

Heat generated by a fire within the grill basin 12 will serve to cookthe food resting upon the upper surface of the griddle 20. Moreover heatwill be reflected onto the upper surface of the food, as is illustratedby directional arrows 50, from the heat reflective inner surface of thecover 22. As the food is cooked, grease and the like will tend to dripthrough apertures 42 in the griddle onto the open fire and immediatelybegin to smoke. The smoke thus generated will travel upwardly throughthe apertures 42 as illustrated by direction arrows 52 into surroundingrelationship with respect to the food being cooked upon the griddle 20.The cover 22 will entrap the smoke and circulate the smoke about thefood during cooking in order to impart a smoky taste thereto.

The smoke as indicated by directional arrows 54 tends to be circulatedabout the food andv then is permitted to vent out of the lateral edgesof the cover 22 through recesses 28. By the provision of openings onlyin the lateral surfaces of the cover 22 the smoke is effectivelymaintained around the food during cooking.

In order to facilitate flow of the smoke the peripheral flange 44extending about the griddle 20 tends to be outwardly bowed along thesides thereof as at 56, note FIG. 8. This outward portion extends beyondthe normally extending side walls 26 of the cover 22, note FIG. 6.Therefore smoke may be gently guided upwardly from the cover asindicated by flow arrows 58.

In order to readily manipulate the cover 22 with respect to the griddle20 a knob 60 is connected to the centermost portion thereof. This knobmay be connected to the plate 24 by a conventional centrally disposedthreaded fasterner 62, which extends through the knob 60 and connectsonto a compatibly threaded nut 64 which may be fixedly attached to theupper surface of the member 24.

The knob 60 is provided with a plurality of legs 66 radiating outwardlytherefrom, note FIG. 2. The legs 66 are generally rectangular incross-section and tapered along the length of the outer edge 68 from theoutermost surface of the knob 66, outwardly to the end of the legs 70.Therefore, when the cover 22 is inverted as illustrated in FIG. 7, onlythe tips 72 of the outermost edges of legs 66' will contact the surfaceupon which the cover is resting to provide a stable base therefor.

In order to minimize heat conduction between the closed heat reflectivemember 24 and the legs 66 the legs are also tapered along the length ofthe inner edge 74 from the knob 60 outwardly to the ends 70 of the legs.The legs 66 are in supporting contact with the upper surface of theclosed heat reflective member 24 only at the outer edges thereof as at76.

Following the smoking and cooking operation the cover 22 may beinverted, as illustrated in FIGS. 7-9. The outer edges of the flange 44are suitable to rest upon the inner edges of the corner ledges 34. Thecurved portions 30 of the side walls 26 exhibit a degree of resiliencyso that the walls at the location of ledges 34 may be deflected slightlyoutwardly and thus an interference fit is provided between the griddle20 and the cover 22.

When the cover 22 is thus inverted and the griddle is placed within thecover the unit may function to permit excess greaseto drip from thefood. Moreover the entire unit may be picked up by the handle 48 and thecover will cling to the griddle so that grease from the food will notdrip upon the floor or table while the food is transferred from onelocation to another. Further, the stand will maintain the griddle in aconvenient horizontal posture and the unit may be positioned directlyupon an eating table to function as an attractive serving piece or thelike.

While the above description of the cover 22 has been in combination witha griddle 20, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatthe smoking and cooking cover 22 may be independently operable therefromand in this connection may be placed directly upon a conventionalbarbecuing grid 16 and perform the functions of accentuating cooking andsmoking of food in a highly advantageous manner.

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES In sum it will be appreciated that bythe provision of the present invention an improved cooking and smokingapparatus has been provided which may be utilized with a conventionaloutdoor charcoal grill to highten the cooking and smoking qualities ofoutdoor barbecumg.

Further, the invention includes a novel combination of a griddle and acooking and smoking cover which is operable to maximize the smokingcharacter of an outdoor cooking operation while facilitating thehandling of the food upon a conventional grill.

Moreover the subject invention provides a multifunctional apparatuswhich not only serves to heighten the smoking and cooking character ofan outdoor barbecue grill but additionally may function as a greasecollector and/or serving unit when not being utilized to cook the food.

A specific advantage of the invention lies in the novel smoking andcooking apparatus which permits smoke to vent therefrom only through thelateral edges thereof. Thus the smoking character of the unit ismaximized.

By the specific structural interrelationship of the cover with thegriddle the cover is operatively supported above the griddle during asmoking and cooking operation. Thereafter the cover may be inverted andresiliently connected to the griddle in an underlying posture to serveas a grease collector and serving stand.

Specifically, by the provision of the novel handle and standconfiguration, heat from the cover will be isolated from the handle sothat the cover may be removed from the griddle and inverted. In theinverted posture the cover may be stably supported upon a planarsurface.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferredembodiments it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatadditions, deletions, modifications and substitutions, or other changesnot specifically described may be made which will fall within thepurview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surfacecomprising:

a closed heat reflective means;

support means connected to and downwardly extending from said closedheat reflective means for supporting said closed heat reflective meansabove a cooking surface, said closed heat reflective means incombination with said support means serving to reflect heat toward thecooking surface and to collect smoke above the cooking surface; and

passage means laterally extending through said support means andcomprising at least one recess fashioned from a free edge of saidsupport means upwardly toward said closed heat reflective means forpermitting smoke circulation within said apparatus.

2. A smoking and cooking apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said closed heat reflective means comprises a generally planar squareshaped plate; and

said support means comprise heat reflective side walls extendinggenerally normally from the edges of said plate, said side walls havingan equal extent so that said closed heat reflective means may besupported in a generally parallel horizontal plane above the cookingsurface.

3..A cooking apparatus comprising:

a griddle including,

a heat conductive plate, and upwardly extending flange meansperipherally extending about said plate; and smoking and cooking meansoperably connected to said griddle including a closed heat reflectivemeans; support means connected to and downwardly extending from saidclosed heat reflective means for engagement with said flange means ofgriddle to reflect heat toward said griddle and collect smokethereabove; and passage means laterally extending through said supportmeans and comprising at least one recess fashioned from a free edge ofsaid support means upward toward said closed heat reflective means forpermitting in combination with at least a portion of said upwardlyextending flange means smoke circulation within said cooking apparatus.4. A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surfacecomprising:

a closed heat reflective means; support means connected to anddownwardly extending from said closed heat reflective means forsupporting said closed heat reflective means above a cooking surface,said closed heat reflective means in combination with said support meansserving to reflect heat toward the cooking surface and to collect smokeabove the cooking surface; passage means laterally extending throughsaid support means permitting smoke circulation within said apparatus;and means connected to an upper surface of said closed heat relectivemeans for serving as a handle when said support means is downwardlyextending and for serving as a base suitable to maintain said apparatusin a stable posture when said apparatus is inverted and said supportmeans is upwardly extending. 5. A smoking and cooking apparatus asdefined in claim 4 wherein said means for serving as a handle and basecomprise:

a knob connected to said apparatus in the center on the exterior surfaceof said closed heat reflective means, and

a plurality of legs radiating upwardly from said knob along the exteriorsurface to the outer edge portions of said closed heat reflective means.

6. A smoker apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein:

said legs are generally rectangular in cross section and tapered alongthe length of the outer edge thereof from the free end of said knoboutwardly to the end of said legs whereby upon inverting said apparatusand placing said apparatus upon a generally planar surface the free endof said knob will be spaced above the planar surface.

7. A smoker apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein:

said legs are also tapered along the length of the inner edge thereoffrom said knob outwardly to the end of said legs and into supportingcontact with the upper surface of said closed heat reflective meanswhereby an air gap is maintained between the upper surface of siadclosed heat reflective means and the inner edge of said legs to minimizeheat transfer into said legs from said closed heat reflective means.

8. A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surfacecomprising:

a closed heat reflective means, including a generally planar squareshaped plate;

support means connected to and downwardly extending from said closedheat reflective means for supporting said closed heat reflective meansabove a cooking surface, said closed heat reflective means incombination with said support means serving to reflect heat toward thecooking surface and to collect smoke above the cooking surface, saidsupport means including heat reflective side walls extending generallynor mally from the edges of said plate, said side walls having an equalextent so that said closed heat reflective means may be supported in agenerally parallel horizontal plane above the cooking surface; andpassage means comprising recesses fashioned generally along the midspanportions of said side walls from the free edges thereof toward saidplanar square member for permitting smoke circulation within saidapparatus.

9. A cooking apparatus comprising:

a griddle including,

a generally square shaped heat conductive plate,

and upwardly extending outwardly bowed flange means peripherallyextending about said plate; and smoking and cooking means operablyconnected to said griddle including closed heat reflective meanscomprising a generally square shaped heat reflective plate, supportmeans comprising heat reflective side walls connected to and downwardlyextending normally from the edges of said heat reflective means forengagement with said flange means of said griddle to reflect heat towardsaid griddle and collect smoke thereabove; and passage means comprisingrecesses fashioned generally along the midspan portions of said heatreflective side walls from the free edges thereof toward said heatreflective plate for acting in combination with said outwardly bowedflange means to permit smoke circulation within said cooking apparatus.10. A cooking apparatus as defined in claim 9 and further comprising:

an upwardly extending extension member connected at a midspan locationto said flange means along one side of said griddle and beingdimensioned to substantially block flow through one of said recesseswithin the reflective side walls of said cooking and smoking apparatuswhich is positioned adjacent said extension member; and a handleconnected to said extension member and generally normally projectingtherefrom to enable the cooking apparatus to be convenientlymanipulated. 11. A cooking apparatus as defined in claim 9 and furthercomprising:

ledge means fashioned generally at the junction locations of said heatreflective side walls for providing abutting engagement of said heatreflective side walls with the upper edge of said griddle flange meansgenerally at the corner location thereof whereby said closed heatreflective means may be supported above said griddle. 12. A cookingapparatus as defined inclaim l1 and further comprising:

means connected to the upper surface of said heat reflective plate forserving as a handle when said smoking and cooking means is positioned ontop of said griddle and for serving as a base when said smoking andcooking means is positioned beneath said griddle. 13. A cookingapparatus asdefined in claim 12 wherein:

said heat reflective side walls, at the junction locations thereof areresilient and dimensioned to interferingly engage the corner portions ofthe flange means of said griddle when said smoking and cooking means ispositioned beneath said griddle. 14. A cooking apparatus comprising: agrill including,

a basin means for enhousing heat generating means, support means forsupporting said basin above a ground surface, and a griddle operablysupported upon the grid of said grill including, a heat conductiveplate; and upwardly extending flange means peripherally extending aboutsaid heat conductive plate; and smoking and cooking means operablyconnected to said griddle including, a closed heat reflective means,support means connected to and downwardly extending fromsaid closed heatreflective means for engagement with said flange means of said griddleto operably connect said closed heat reflective means to said griddle toreflect heat toward said griddle and collect smoke thereabove, andpassage means laterally extending through said support means andcomprising at least one recess fashioned from a free edge of saidsupport means upwardly toward said closed heat reflective means forpermitting smoke circulation within said cooking apparatus. 15. Acooking apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein:

said heat conductive plate of said griddle is fashioned with a pluralityof aperture means to establish fluid communication between an uppersurface of said heat conductive plate and the basin of said grill.

1. A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surfacecomprising: a closed heat reflective means; support means connected toand downwardly extending from said closed heat reflective means forsupporting said closed heat reflective means above a cooking surface,said closed heat reflective means in combination with said support meansserving to reflect heat toward the cooking surface and to collect smokeabove the cooking surface; and passage means laterally extending throughsaid support means and comprising at least one recess fashioned from afree edge of said support means upwardly toward said closed heatreflective means for permitting smoke circulation within said apparatus.2. A smoking and cooking apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: saidclosed heat reflective means comprises a generally planar square shapedplate; and said support means comprise heat reflective side wallsextending generally normally from the edges of said plate, said sidewalls having an equal extent so that said closed heat reflective meansmay be supported in a generally parallel horizontal plane above thecooking surface.
 3. A cooking apparatus comprising: a griddle including,a heat conductive plate, and upwardly extending flange meansperipherally extending about said plate; and smoking and cooking meansoperably connected to said griddle including a closed heat reflectivemeans; support means connected to and downwardly extending from saidclosed heat reflective means for engagement with said flange means ofgriddle to reflect heat toward said griddle and collect smokethereabove; and passage means laterally extending through said supportmeans and comprising at least one recess fashioned from a free edge ofsaid support means upward toward said closed heat reflective means forpermitting in combination with at least a portion of said upwardlyextending flange means smoke circulation within said cooking apparatus.4. A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surfacecomprising: a closed heat reflective means; support means connected toand downwardly extending from Said closed heat reflective means forsupporting said closed heat reflective means above a cooking surface,said closed heat reflective means in combination with said support meansserving to reflect heat toward the cooking surface and to collect smokeabove the cooking surface; passage means laterally extending throughsaid support means permitting smoke circulation within said apparatus;and means connected to an upper surface of said closed heat relectivemeans for serving as a handle when said support means is downwardlyextending and for serving as a base suitable to maintain said apparatusin a stable posture when said apparatus is inverted and said supportmeans is upwardly extending.
 5. A smoking and cooking apparatus asdefined in claim 4 wherein said means for serving as a handle and basecomprise: a knob connected to said apparatus in the center on theexterior surface of said closed heat reflective means, and a pluralityof legs radiating upwardly from said knob along the exterior surface tothe outer edge portions of said closed heat reflective means.
 6. Asmoker apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein: said legs are generallyrectangular in cross section and tapered along the length of the outeredge thereof from the free end of said knob outwardly to the end of saidlegs whereby upon inverting said apparatus and placing said apparatusupon a generally planar surface the free end of said knob will be spacedabove the planar surface.
 7. A smoker apparatus as defined in claim 6wherein: said legs are also tapered along the length of the inner edgethereof from said knob outwardly to the end of said legs and intosupporting contact with the upper surface of said closed heat reflectivemeans whereby an air gap is maintained between the upper surface of siadclosed heat reflective means and the inner edge of said legs to minimizeheat transfer into said legs from said closed heat reflective means. 8.A smoking and cooking apparatus operable to overlay a cooking surfacecomprising: a closed heat reflective means, including a generally planarsquare shaped plate; support means connected to and downwardly extendingfrom said closed heat reflective means for supporting said closed heatreflective means above a cooking surface, said closed heat reflectivemeans in combination with said support means serving to reflect heattoward the cooking surface and to collect smoke above the cookingsurface, said support means including heat reflective side wallsextending generally normally from the edges of said plate, said sidewalls having an equal extent so that said closed heat reflective meansmay be supported in a generally parallel horizontal plane above thecooking surface; and passage means comprising recesses fashionedgenerally along the midspan portions of said side walls from the freeedges thereof toward said planar square member for permitting smokecirculation within said apparatus.
 9. A cooking apparatus comprising: agriddle including, a generally square shaped heat conductive plate, andupwardly extending outwardly bowed flange means peripherally extendingabout said plate; and smoking and cooking means operably connected tosaid griddle including closed heat reflective means comprising agenerally square shaped heat reflective plate, support means comprisingheat reflective side walls connected to and downwardly extendingnormally from the edges of said heat reflective means for engagementwith said flange means of said griddle to reflect heat toward saidgriddle and collect smoke thereabove; and passage means comprisingrecesses fashioned generally along the midspan portions of said heatreflective side walls from the free edges thereof toward said heatreflective plate for acting in combination with said outwardly bowedflange means to permit smoke circulation within said cooking apparatus.10. A cooking apparatus as defined in claim 9 and further comprIsing: anupwardly extending extension member connected at a midspan location tosaid flange means along one side of said griddle and being dimensionedto substantially block flow through one of said recesses within thereflective side walls of said cooking and smoking apparatus which ispositioned adjacent said extension member; and a handle connected tosaid extension member and generally normally projecting therefrom toenable the cooking apparatus to be conveniently manipulated.
 11. Acooking apparatus as defined in claim 9 and further comprising: ledgemeans fashioned generally at the junction locations of said heatreflective side walls for providing abutting engagement of said heatreflective side walls with the upper edge of said griddle flange meansgenerally at the corner location thereof whereby said closed heatreflective means may be supported above said griddle.
 12. A cookingapparatus as defined in claim 11 and further comprising: means connectedto the upper surface of said heat reflective plate for serving as ahandle when said smoking and cooking means is positioned on top of saidgriddle and for serving as a base when said smoking and cooking means ispositioned beneath said griddle.
 13. A cooking apparatus as defined inclaim 12 wherein: said heat reflective side walls, at the junctionlocations thereof are resilient and dimensioned to interferingly engagethe corner portions of the flange means of said griddle when saidsmoking and cooking means is positioned beneath said griddle.
 14. Acooking apparatus comprising: a grill including, a basin means forenhousing heat generating means, support means for supporting said basinabove a ground surface, and a griddle operably supported upon the gridof said grill including, a heat conductive plate; and upwardly extendingflange means peripherally extending about said heat conductive plate;and smoking and cooking means operably connected to said griddleincluding, a closed heat reflective means, support means connected toand downwardly extending from said closed heat reflective means forengagement with said flange means of said griddle to operably connectsaid closed heat reflective means to said griddle to reflect heat towardsaid griddle and collect smoke thereabove, and passage means laterallyextending through said support means and comprising at least one recessfashioned from a free edge of said support means upwardly toward saidclosed heat reflective means for permitting smoke circulation withinsaid cooking apparatus.
 15. A cooking apparatus as defined in claim 14wherein: said heat conductive plate of said griddle is fashioned with aplurality of aperture means to establish fluid communication between anupper surface of said heat conductive plate and the basin of said grill.